METHODS AND PRACTICES OF RETAILING MEAT 21 
subjects. The • experiences and opinions tended strongly in one 
direction but there are no statistical records kept by retailers from 
which dealers or others can tell definitely what direction the trend 
of meat consumption is taking. 
So many individual cases were cited to show a decreased purchase 
of meats by housekeepers in favor of some prepared food products 
that they seemed in the aggregate to form a factor to consider. Many 
dealers feel that the intensive national advertising campaigns that 
are back of these purchases are built on comparisons that are not 
substantiated by fact and that the campaigns are designed to cur- 
tail meat purchases in favor of these manufactured products. 
Changing conditions and customs in American family life that 
affect meat consumption adversely, according to the majority of 
the dealers, include many tendencies. They believe that the increase 
in use of small apartments with little cooking space is increasing the 
tendency toward light housekeeping, as is the increased custom among 
married women to seek outside employment. 
The monthly-installment payment plan inaugurated in recent years 
by some automobile manufacturers, which places the automobile 
within reach of all classes, has often resulted, the dealers believe, 
in stringent economy in the expenditure of funds for other purposes, 
particularly by those of limited means. Food budgets are pared and 
meat usually is the first to feel the effect. 
The marked increase in use of automobiles has furnished a means 
of recreation that tends to lessen body requirements for heavy foods 
and it has facilitated the picnic meals which are usually accompanied 
by the use of limited quantities of meat and more of the substitutes. 
Some dealers see in the marked increase in the delicatessen in- 
dustry a deterrent to meat sales. These stores are found in sections 
of all cities. They are usually operated by foreigners who recognize 
no regular opening or closing schedule. In most cases they remain 
open until midnight and are open all day Sunday. The investigators 
found two that used the slogan, "We never close." The competition 
in the matter of hours can not be met by the meat stores. 
Some packing-house products are offered through delicatessen 
stores, but the possibilities of this method of increasing sales of meat 
products generally has apparently not been studied thoroughly by 
the industry. The trend of distribution of most food products is 
is toward more compact package form. Many meat products should 
lend themselves readily to this method of distribution and delicatessen 
departments can be installed in most retail meat stores. A few were 
found in this survey but probably not more than 2 per cent of the 
stores studied have such a department. 
RECOMMENDATIONS 
The analysis of the factors involved in the study of methods and 
practices of retailing meats reveals certain weaknesses and deficiencies 
that are considered a detriment to the industry as a whole. Most of 
these deficiencies are recognized by modern and progressive dealers 
everywhere, and their cooperation toward eliminating them is 
assured. To that end the following recommendations are made: 
Stringent enforcement of practical sanitary regulations should be 
urged by dealers. Most cities have ordinances governing sanitation 
